Syndergaard on shelf until wild-card game
PHILADELPHIA — After weeks of going full throttle, the Mets finally can exhale for a day or two.
In case there wasn’t enough incentive for the Mets to wrap up a wild-card berth and avoid the stress of potentially needing a victory on the final day of the regular season, they now get the added bonus of resting Noah Syndergaard.
After the Mets beat the Phillies, 5-3, on Saturday to clinch the top seed and home field for the wild card, manager Terry Collins moved rookie Gabriel Ynoa into Sunday’s start in Syndergaard’s place.
Syndergaard, who will start Wednesday against the Giants or Cardinals, will throw a bullpen session before Sunday’s game but won’t appear against the Phillies.
Manager Terry Collins originally had considered using Syndergaard for one to two innings in a tune-up but decided it was best not to risk injury to his ace.
Syndergaard, who is 14-9 with a 2.60 ERA in 31 appearances this season, last pitched Tuesday in Miami. He will be on seven days’ rest when he faces the Giants or Cardinals.
“It’s every little kid’s dream to pitch in a high-stakes game, so I’ll embrace it,” Syndergaard said. “I look forward to it. It should be a lot of fun.”
Syndegaard was among the stars of last year’s postseason run for the Mets. His highlights included a victory in Game 3 of the World Series against the Royals and a dominant relief appearance in Game 5 of the NLDS against the Dodgers.
“I was able to experience a lot and learn a lot of stuff last year in the playoffs,” Syndergaard said. “But the ultimate thing that I learned is that it’s still the same game. If things start to speed up on you, just kind of take a deep breath, step on the side of the mound and just get back to taking one pitch at a time.”
Syndergaard said it has been a thrill to watch rookies Seth Lugo and Robert Gsellman help carry the rotation in the absence of Jacob deGrom, Steven Matz and Matt Harvey.
“I feel like we’ve got a lot of guys. If one person goes down, we’ve got the next one that can pick them up,” Syndergaard said. “Gsellman and Lugo have done a tremendous job. Those guys are awesome to have in the clubhouse. They work hard each and every day so it’s a lot of fun to be able to progress as pitchers.”